Product Description

From Fallingwater to the Guggenheim Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright created some of the most celebrated designs in history. But his development as an architect is best seen in the three homes he built for himself. Freed from the wishes and demands of any client, they are the purest expressions of the talents and theories of the greatest architect of the 20th century.America's Castles follows the evolution of Wright's style from the balanced simplicity of Oak Park (1891) to the destruction of the traditional boundaries between inside and outside space of Taliesin West (1937). Go inside Taliesin (1911) in Spring Green Wisconsin - off limits to the public - to see what many scholars feel is the most beautiful of all Wright's domestic designs. And learn of the turmoil and tragedy that marked Wright's private life - including the horrific axe murder in Taliesin!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #822 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-04-07
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Color, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 1
• Running time: 50 minutes

Amazon.com
Originally broadcast as part of A&E's America's Castles series, this program celebrates and makes accessible the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, hailed as this century's greatest architect. There is no more insightful window into the man than the three homes that Wright built for himself: his Home and Studio in Oak Park, Illinois; Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona.

From floor to ceiling and room by room, this intimate guided tour charts the evolution of Wright's singular style that created "structures not on the land, but of the land" and "built not to be looked at, but lived in."

Exploring Wright's Home and Studio, for example, reveals "a treasure house of experimentation" that "is central to understanding his development." The original Taliesin is called "an autobiography in wood, brick, and stone."

The Homes of Frank Lloyd Wright takes its cue from Wright, who in his designs endeavored to eliminate the insignificant (attics, he believed, were wasted space). Wright scholars place these homes in historical and biographical context. Not glossed over are some of the more scandalous and tragic events that marked Wright's life, from an adulterous affair that made headlines to the ax murder of his mistress at Taliesin.

This video is a must-own for architectural buffs, but even if you're just getting in on the ground floor and don't know your vestibule from your veranda, this program will make you feel right at home. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews

MASTER ARCHITECT
Those who exhibit exceptional talent in a given field always have a starting point. Frank Lloyd Wright was the most celebrated and admired architect of his time and is considered the greatest architect of the 20th Century. How he became such a giant is shown through his three homes that served as a launching pad for his future career.

Journey to Oakdale, ILL where Wright builds his first home and studio which broke the mold of conventional home architecture. His Oakdale home was not the Victorian monstrosity of the period but instead incorporated more space and eliminated the litte boxes so common in building homes. This home was his first experiment.

As an iconoclast and womanizer, Wright's personal life took a turn for the worst. Architecturally it was a blessing as he left for Wisconsin and built his second home "Taliesin". This home was another refinement of his previous endeavers. Built on the brow of a hill and using natural materials, Wright once again pushed the button of coventional architecture.

Age will catch up on you and to accomodate his battle with harsh winters Wright built Taliesen West in Arizona. Once again he does further refinement incorporating the natural materials of his area and perfecting it as a training ground for future architects.

The scenery and designs of these homes are magnificient. You can see why this man was the master of his craft. In viewing each home you can see the progression of his ability as it grows through various stages in his life time. You will be moved by these homes as well as the stories that they tell.

If you've only seen still photographs, you're in for a treat
For someone who's never seen any of Frank Lloyd Wright's domestic architecture other than in books, this video is something of a revelation.

Although the video mainly discusses the architect's life and how his philosophy of architecture may be seen in his own homes (the Oak Park house, near Chicago; Taliesin in Wisconsin and Taliesin West in Arizona), it's been an eye-opener for me to see the delicate quality of some of his leadlighting, the way the houses might 'feel' when you first enter them... and the wonderful sense of space he was able to achieve.

Seeing this video has only increased my resolve to see the real houses... I just *know* that it will truly be awe-inspiring when I do.

Wright done right.
Vastly superior to the Ken Burns DVD on Frank Lloyd Wright in every way. You will come away from this learning a great deal about Wright's style based on three concrete examples, including his own residence outside Chicago. The only downside is that the 50 minute running time of the video does not leave time to tour more of the buildings for which Wright was responsible. For that, there are plenty of books out there that cover the subject. If you are more interested in Wright's personal excesses, get the Burns DVD. Otherwise, this is where you want to start.